Bereft

For the past ten years I have had the most constant and loving companion, Maisie, my smooth fox terrier. She shared my garden with the greatest enthusiasm, whether digging in her own alloted area by the bonfire heap, chasing a ball or just sitting in a patch of sunlight. She was joyful, racing pel-mel across the lawn and swerving dangerously around the apple trees.
On Sunday Maisie became ill and the following day we took her to the vets where she was diagnosed with a tumour in the lung. She was frightened and unhappy by the tests. We brought her home on Tuesday evening but it became clear that the effort to breathe surmounted all else and we returned to the vets and requested that she be put to sleep. She died gently in my arms.
Yesterday we dug into the hard surface frost to bury her in a favourite spot beneath the walnut tree, a place where she liked to bask in the sunshine and keep an eye on me as I worked in the vegetable patch.
You will know how I feel.

11.12.2012

Busy, busy.

The Bournemouth Brigade came at the weekend and we had plenty to do. After Christmas Wee One is to be playing the cello at a wedding so she brought her chosen music home for us to listen to.

Then we had to consider the wedding outfit - a new dress needed! We downed tools and went shopping with specific requirements; a full skirt and ease of movement across the shoulders and in the sleeves. Wee One wasn't hopeful but her intrepid mother was sure that we would find something lovely. The males in our party were very well behaved (the coffee and cake shop helped).
We found the PERFECT dress at 'Deadly is the Female'. Can't show you because it is wrapped up for Christmas. That's another person ticked on my list.
Wee One bought a fabulous red net petticoat to go underneath. Bring back the fifties!
She's been busy with my old beads and buttons

making an advent calendar, hopefully for this year!

On Sunday the sun shone and we pulled on our wellies and crossed the muddy fields

and into the woods to enjoy the remaining autumn colour.

We spotted these large mistletoe balls high up in the trees. far too high to be raided for next month's decorations.

It was perfect weekend.

A bit back-endish

It's a bit 'back-endish' as they say up north. Summer (what summer?) is definitely over.

The garden is looking bedraggled.

Flowers still bloom, but without much effect.

The nerines always look too exotic for late autumn flowering.

Cold weather has finished off the summer vegetables, so now we are starting on the parsnips and sprouts.

It is altogether nicer to be tucked up inside.

We've had a sociable week. The Young and Fit came, and we planned our next Awfully Big Adventure over tea and cake. (We are going to stay in La Habana Vieja - there will be dancing!)
The Writing Group came with fizz, flowers and lemon buns to celebrate Himself having won a short story prize.

Flowers from Pam.

And our former neighbours, Kim and Andy came for supper and a lovely catch-up. Oh, they never should have moved!

Flowers in the house for Jane at Small But Charming.